LUCANIA, Herakleia. Circa 390-340 BC. AR Nomos (22mm, 7.75 g, 1h). Near EF.

Triton XXIX
Lot: 23. Estimated: $ 2 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 4 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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LUCANIA, Herakleia. Circa 390-340 BC. AR Nomos (22mm, 7.75 g, 1h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Skylla holding rudder over her shoulder / Herakles standing facing, torso right, strangling the Nemean Lion to right; to left, retrograde EP above shell above club; HPAKΛ[EIΩN] to left. Work 29 (same dies); Van Keuren 47; HN Italy 1376; BMC 14 (same dies); McClean 822–3 (same dies). Old collection tone, minor flan crack, some doubling on obverse, struck with worn reverse die. Near EF.

From the JTB Collection. Ex Triton XXVII (9 January 2024), lot 10; Hess-Leu 49 (27 April 1971), lot 19.

Herakleia, located on the Gulf of Taranto, was one of the last Greek colonies to be established in Italy, with a foundation date of 432 BC. Its foundation arose from the destruction of Siris, an Ionic colony located nearby, circa 550 BC. Athens claimed the right to re-found Siris with its own colonists and is said to have briefly considered relocating Athens itself to the site after its destruction by the Persians in 480 BC. Athens did indeed found Thourioi in 443 BC across the gulf from the site of Siris, but this was resisted by Tarentum and Kroton, which sided with Sparta in the Peloponnesian War and did not want an ally of Athens so close. After a brief war, an agreement was signed whereby Athens and Tarentines would jointly found a new city on the site of Siris. This became Herakleia, named in honor of Herakles. The city’s coinage reflected its bifurcated foundation by honoring Athena (patron of Athens) on the obverse and its namesake Herakles on the reverse.

The final winners of all Triton XXIX lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 13-14 January 2026.

Triton XXIX – Session One – Lot 1-301 will be held Tuesday morning, 13 January 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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